Ethan Jimenez (Photo Credit: Robin Sanders, Robin’s Nest Photography)
FLOYDADA — Being the best in the state in anything takes hours of practice and a dedication to your chosen craft. Anyone who has ever played a musical instrument knows being the best at it is an especially daunting task.
Floydada now officially has one of the best musicians in the state, as Ethan Jimenez has made the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) All-State Band. Jimenez, a senior at FCHS, plays contra alto clarinet.
Band Director Franklin Piland tells the Record roughly 10,000 students from the 1A-4A schools across Texas tried out for the All-State band, with less than 300 – including Jimenez – making the final cut
According to social media posts from the Whirlwind Band, Jimenez placed first chair out of six at Saturday’s All-Area auditions in Levelland, securing his advancement to the state level.
Band Director Franklin Piland tells the Record roughly 10,000 students from the 1A-4A schools across Texas tried out for the All-State Band, with less than 300 – including Jimenez – making the final cut.
The Floydada band website says Jimenez is the first student in 17 years to make the All-State Band from Floydada, and is only the sixth student in the school’s history to ever reach the top.
Jimenez, who also works at Floydada’s Dairy Queen, says he hopes that by making the All-State Band he can secure a music scholarship to continue his education at the collegiate level.
Jimenez and Piland will now travel to San Antonio to perform with the All-State Band as part of the Texas Music Educator’s Association convention next month.
